This application is a xc2xa7371 of PCT/EP99/09765 filed DEC. 10,1999.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an injecting device having a housing, in which a container of injectable fluid is arranged in a longitudinally movable manner, the container being adapted for releasably attaching, at its proximal end, an injection needle.
2. Background
In connection with injecting devices, it is a problem, especially for older patients, prior to an injection, to place these devices in a particular position, in which, for example, the dose can be set or from which the carrying out of an injection is possible.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new injecting device.
In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved by an injecting device having a housing, in which a container for receiving an injectable fluid is arranged in a longitudinally movable manner, on which container an injection needle can be releasably mounted at the proximal end, having a spring which is associated with a releasable detent, in order to latch this spring in a compressed configuration, and having a cocking member, which can be inserted into the proximal end of the housing in order to shift the longitudinally movable container in the distal direction and thereby to put the spring into a compressed configuration. By using a cocking member, which is inserted into the proximal end of the housing, and thereby shifts the container into a cocked configuration, one obtains a simple actuation. At the same time, the cocking member can serve as a cover cap, in order to protect the mechanism of the injection device against contamination.
Injection devices having hidden needles do not permit the patient to readily see whether or not an injection needle is mounted. This needle is usually swapped out after an injection, but if the patient forgets, after unscrewing the old needle, to screw on a new one, it can happen that he tries an xe2x80x9cinjectionxe2x80x9d without a needle, which of course means nothing is injected.
Therefore, according to a further feature of the invention, the contact between the cocking member and the container is so formed that the spring can be latched into the compressed configuration if a needle is mounted, but cannot be if no needle is mounted. One thus achieves that, without a needle, the spring cannot be latched into the compressed configuration, so that a subsequent triggering of an injection by release of the detent is not possible. Thereby, the patient is effectively reminded that he must put in place a new needle, since without it, he cannot cock the device and thus cannot attempt any xe2x80x9cmock injection.xe2x80x9d